Little Brothers
by lxlynda
Summary: Gaara and Kankuro are home "sick" and Temari has to watch them, but she just wants to train outside. And if they would just stay in their rooms, she just might be able to. *disclaimer*


I wrote this a while ago, but just typed it this weekend. I thougth it was cute, so I put it up!

* * *

What's the point of having a father when he's never around to father the kids? He has three children- all his- but he has yet to spend any time with one of us; he's too busy with his Kazekage work or he has to suddenly go to all night meeting everyday of the week.

So, I, the eldest, must watch my two younger brothers, Gaara and Kankuro. Gaara's only six and Kankuro's eight and I am nine years old and I've been watching them since I was five.

My father says that it's because I am a girl and the oldest, yet he tells me that I'm just a kid and can't do anything.

That doesn't' stop me, though. I _still_ cook for them, wash them up, help them with practice and then put them to bed. That's my daily schedule and it's rare when I actually time for myself.

Today is not one of those rare days.

Both of my brothers were home sick (or that's what they said), so they've been in their rooms all day. They should be asleep, so I might be able to sneak outside and-

"_TEMARI! HELP_!"

-not train. That was Kankuro's scream (I know because Gaara rarely even _talks_). _He better be dying_, I think.

I trudge down the hallway and burst into Kankuro's room. "What is it this time, Kankuro?" I froze when I looked at my brother. "Kankuro, what are you doing?"

He was sitting at his desk- obviously he had ditched school today to tinker with his puppets- with tears in his eyes. "Temari," he whined. "I have a splinter in my finger and it hurts…take it out, Temari! Take it out!" He shook his index finger frantically at me. There was a huge piece of wood in it- no wonder he was freaking out.

"Okay, Kankuro, calm down." I took his hand firmly. "Gimme your tweezers."

He reached his other hand out to his tool drawer and felt around for the tweezers. When he felt them, he quickly passed it to me. "Hurry! Hurry!"

I rolled my eyes- how did h expect to be a great puppet master if he couldn't even handle getting a splinter every now and then. I looked closely at my target and, with great force and precision, pulled it out.

Kankuro started blubbering when a prickled of blood showed.

"Calm down. It's just a little blood."

"No-o, Temari! What if I bleed out! I don't wanna' bleed out!"

I rolled my eyes again. _And I'm the girl? _"Alright. I'll get you a band-aid, okay?"

He shook his head frantically, holding his finger tightly to try and cease the blood flow. "Hurry…"

I jogged into the kitchen, searching for Dad's secret stash of band-aid. That man doesn't believe his children should use them because we're supposed to be stronger, more durable, than others, but he keeps them around just in case he needs one.

_Damn! He must've moved them! _I grunted, moving down to the cabinets and drawers.

Suddenly, there was near-silent padding of feet on the floor. I could automatically tell that it was Gaara.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a blur of red and pale skin. _Yep- that's Gaara_.

He was standing on his tip toes and reaching up to the counter desperately, determined to grow at least an inch if that would mean getting his target- a jar of cookies conveniently placed out of his reach.

I turned to him, an amused look on my face. 'Need some help?"

Gaara looked at me for a moment, then put all his attention to growing taller or extending his arm length.

He's so cute, I think, shaking my head at him. I reached above his head and pushed the jar to the very edge within his tiny grasp.

He took it without a second thought. 'Thanks," Gaara said while sticking a hand into jar.

"No problem." I watched him walk away, and then continued to search for a band-aid.

There was a shocked gasp and tiny grumble- Kankuro had almost run into Gaara.

"Watch where you're going! You almost knocked me down!" Gaara growled. The cookie jar was chuckled firmly to his tiny chest.

Kankuro stepped around him. "Sorry, Gaara. It's an emergency!"

I looked questioningly at the older boy. His finger had a blood trail going down the side.

He was staring at me, wide eyed. "_Temari! Band-aid_!"

When he started to walk towards me, Gaara stuck out his little foot and Kankuro fell forward. In an attempt to break his fall, he put his hands in front of him.

I had stopped to stare at the boys. "I found the band-aids…"

Gaara chuckled deviously. Kankuro started crying again: he had got another splinter.

"Gaara," I warned. The red head shook his head defiantly at me. "Don't even-"

He took off before I could finish, but I jetted after him.

"Gaara, get your butt back here! Apologize to Kankuro!" He rounded the corner quickly- for a six year old with short legs, he was _very _fast.

I reached into my pocket for my kunai and aimed for a target of own, waiting until he got just a little further and…I threw the kunai at the rope holding a net trap, slicing it and releasing the trap. It fell on top of Gaara and he finally stopped running.

I laughed. This happens so many times with my youngest brother that I have a number of traps set all over the house _just_ for him. "Gotcha', Gaara!" I said victoriously.

He faced me dubiously. "Uh-uh! You cheated, Temari! No fair," he pouted.

I shrugged. 'Life isn't fair. Now, if you don't go and tell Kankuro you're sorry I'm taking away your cookies."

Gaara's eyes got wide. "No…"

"Apologized to your brother?"

"Alright."

"Promise?" He nodded his head eagerly. I walked over to him and cautiously removed the net. His big eyes flew to his cookie jar and then to me; he smiled sweetly.

I ruffled his hair, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as I escorted him back to Kankuro.

Kankuro had stopped his blubbering to run his finger under the faucet.

"Kankuro," Gaara has something to say to you." I nudged the tiny red head forward.

Gaara stumbled and cleared his throat. Kankuro looked at him, anger in his eyes. "Um…I…I'm…" He bit his lip. "I'm sorry, Kankuro."

Kankuro grunted. "No you're not! Your just want your cookies; Temari threatened to take them away, right?"

_How did he know?_

"Yeah, she did. But will you just accept it?"

"No way," the brunette stated plainly.

Gaara sighed, aggravated by his brother's stubbornness. "_Why_?"

"'Cuz you aren't sincere."

"Yuh- huh!"

"Uh-uh!"

"Am too!"

"Are not!"

They continued to bicker until I groaned loudly. "Listen you two, make up already!"

"Wha- I did already!" Gaara said defensively.

"Do it better!" Kankuro demanded.

The tiny red head sighed. Kankuro and I raised an eyebrow at him as he thrust his hand into the jar and pulled out the biggest, most chocolate-packed cookie.

Gaara's eyes laid longingly on the treat- he had obviously done everything in his power to keep it hidden, saving it for last-before turning up to Kankuro's brown eyes.

"_Here! Take it_!" He dropped the cookie in Kankuro's hand and turned dramatically. "Eat it fast- before I change my mind!"

"R-really?" Kankuro asked hesitantly. Gaara just nodded. "Wow. Uh, thanks, Gaara. Um, I guess…apology accepted." He looked at the delicious treat, then at Gaara, then at me. "Uh…here." He smiled and broke the cookie into thirds.

My mouth watered as I took my first bite. It was delicious- Father rarely let us (being me and Kankuro) have snacks, however, seeing as Gaara could kill him at any time, he was the exception. I didn't know what I was missing until this moment.

Gaara ate his part slowly, brushing the crumbs off his hand when he was done. He didn't bother saying thank you to Kankuro, but he gave him a little smile before running back off with his jar to his room.

Kankuro ate half of his and put the other half on the table. He looked at his finger, then me. "You know, it doesn't hurt so much any more." He smiled. "I'm gonna' go back and finish my puppet before Dad comes home. See ya' later."

I waved to him, still standing in the kitchen with the box of band-aids. I shrugged and put them back up.

_I guess I can go and train now._

Sorry if anyone seems out of character(mostly little Gaara) but I like it this way- they're so cute!

Reviews are appreciated!


End file.
